Connected
Dad’s Group
Last night, one of the neighbors called to remind and invite my dad to the monthly men’s group. So, this morning, my dad decided to go. When he returned, he told us of some the new guys he met. He explained how the meeting was run and that everyone there was friendly and respectful of […]
Making Grandpa Proud
My dad is continuing his project of going through his old cassette tapes and putting them on his computer. Tonight we listened to my grandfather talk about his life. It took a bit of concentration to understand what he was saying through his thick German accent. He recounted his life on the farm as a […]
Jesus is My Coach
The priest gave an exceptionally engaging homily in church today. He started by talking about the “212 Principle”. He explained that at 211 degrees water is simply hot, but at 212 degrees, the water boils. Boiling water creates steam that can power a locomotive. He connected the principle with the the part of the Gospel […]
Not Much Has Changed
As my dad continued to listen to some audio tapes today, I heard them as well. One in particular was he and my mom speaking to my dad’s aunt some 40 years ago. They got talking about the state of the world and the end times. They discussed the church’s beliefs as to when Jesus […]
Voices From the Past
As my dad continues to go through the old cassette tapes, he found a bunch of recorded conversations with family members. Today he listened to an exchange between him and his brother. Much of the discussion was about family history. My dad commented that this was one of the longest conversations he had with his […]
Better Than Social Media
Today I talked to a friend who I worked with about 30 years ago. She told me about some others that she had talked to and what they were doing. She is so good at keeping in touch with everyone, she amazes me. She said that she knows people have lives and are busy, but […]
Set Up Phone Call
Today I sent a text to a friend and inadvertently sent it to another as well. The latter one gave me a call and we chatted for quite a while. It had been a long time since I talked with her, though she pops into my mind often and then I bring her to prayer. […]
Across Borders
One of our neighbor’s has been hosting a couple of Chinese teachers in a program where they are learning to teach English. I got to meet and chat with them for a bit. They were very joyful, respectful, and grateful. Today there was a story on the news of our local Fire Department who has […]
Wedding Cookie Table Record
A couple weeks ago a friend told me she was making a trip to a small town in PA where some of her family lives. A lot of people in that area are from Italy and carry out the tradition of having a cookie table at their wedding where guests bring plates of cookies to […]
Repose of the Soul
Years ago when my mother-in-law died, I was distraught at the fact that there was no wake, no funeral, no services. I spoke to a priest friend of mine who suggested having a Mass said for her. What that means is the Sacrifice of the Mass would include a specific prayer for her soul. I […]